Ada & The French (The Woodhouse Series #2)

Chapter 5

CHAPTER 5

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*Paris, France*

"Adelaide!" Theodore called from the living area as I gave myself a final look in the mirror. I was wearing a baby blue jacket, a matching ruffled skirt and a white blouse with a square neckline. I held my hat and a small bag in my hands as I came out of my room to see Theodore dressed to the nines.

"Wow...where are you going?" I said.

"Versailles..." He replied, showing off his outfit. "So...I'm dressing for the part."

Florence entered the room and laughed at Theodore, handing him his hat. She looked beautiful in her deep purple dress and jacket, a fan in one hand.

"Have you got anything but a visit to the Louvre planned?" Theodore asked as he fixed his cravat.

"Well...we might return to Delacroix and go shopping..." Florence remarked as she looked at me. "They have a bookshop there."

My eyes went wide. "We are definitely going back to Delacroix!"

***

To walk the halls of history at the Louvre was a dream come true. Artefacts, art and collections of history from across the world were here and I was fascinated by it all.

As we arrived in the hall of Ancient France - or rather, Gaul - was fascinating to see how, not only the Romans saw the French, but how much things had changed.

Jewellery, money, pottery, weapons and houseware - all found within France, belonging to Celtica, Aquitania and Belgica tribes.

Under some swords belonging to the Celts that were found in Alise-Sainte-Reine, I noticed a familiar name of one of the curators.

"Louis Hatton..." I read quietly, his name on a white plaque next to the swords.

"Wow..." Florence said, making me turn to her. "Not bad for an Earl..." She nudged me playfully I blushed as she walked away.

Oh, Louis...we were so close yet so far.

***

Florence was exploring a fashion section of the museum as I went to the art, looking at the beautiful paintings of times gone by.

A golden framed large painting of men fighting and a woman in a yellow dress, holding the flag of France.

Liberty Leading the People.

Eugene Delacroix

Oil-on-Canvas

1830

"J'adore ce peinture. Il représente notre combat pour la liberté..." A man from my right said. He wore a beige coloured waistcoat to match his trousers and a brown coat with shoes. His hair was black and hung back in a little ponytail, his eyes brown with a strong nose and his profile showed him to be quite handsome.

I wasn't sure if he was talking to me, so I kept studying the painting.

"Mademoiselle, aimez-vous la peinture?" The man said and I realised he was talking to me.

"I'm sorry..." I said and his eyebrows raised. "I don't speak French."

The man laughed. "Well...lucky for you, I speak English..." He put his hand out and I hesitated to take it. "Bastien Lavigne. It is a pleasure to meet you..."